New Mission: Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams have officially signed on to make Mission Impossible IV. The deal brings Cruise back to Paramount for the first time since 2006, when Sumner Redstone broke off the studio’s relationship with the actor, presumably after seeing him jump on Oprah’s couch. Is it official then? Is Tom Cruise no longer crazy? [Variety]
Pharm Alarm: Reese Witherspoon will produce and star in Pharm Girl, a comedy from Bad Santa writers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (who may also direct). Witherspoon will play a woman rising through the ranks of a major pharmaceutical company while learning its dastardly ways. And, presumably, raging against them with perfectly timed comic ineptitude. [HR]
More States to Be Haunted: The Haunting in Connecticut, that random scary movie from earlier this year, was apparently a small hit, pulling in $55 million on a small budget, so now The Haunting in Georgia is up next. How will the movies be related? Hollywood Reporter has the ultimate explanation: “The original supernatural thriller centered on a family that moves to a new state and begins to experience spooky events at their home. The new pic is expected to follow a somewhat similar path but with a new family in a new state.†Sounds great. [HR]
Chilled Sting: Sting will release his latest album, If on a Winter’s Night … , on October 27. It’ll feature two original songs next to a bunch of traditional songs and lullabies from Britain. Speaking of the title season, Sting said, “Our ancestors celebrated the paradox of light at the heart of the darkness, and the consequent miracle of rebirth and the regeneration of the seasons.†The album will be released on the label Deutsche Grammophon, which almost sounds like Douche Gramophone, which is just about perfect. [Billboard]
Car-Crash City: The Travel Channel has picked up the reality-TV show The Streets of America: The Search for America’s Worst Driver. As its title might imply, the show will put preselected bad drivers through a series of challenges to see just who is the worst. Executive producer Arthur Smith said, “We know how entertaining it will be to watch as the contestants try to navigate through Los Angeles, the home to the country’s busiest freeway interchange, or drive down San Francisco’s Lombard Street.†Accidental vehicular homicide will be frowned upon, but tolerated. [Variety]